June 5th New England Dragway Meet & Greet

[Evil-Bee-NH]

I would recommend calling them directly i know for a fact they are more flexible with the newer cars because a stock 6th gen vert can do mid to low 12s.

I did e-mail the track manager today asking the questions about the safety loop and new convertible rules and I will update asap when I get a response.

[Bottledbird68]

Track manager had emailed me back and said that 11.49 was ok. However I’m not sure if he saw where I said convertible.
NHRA director of tech himself emailed me back and said nope, needs a bar for 13.49 and faster.
One of the other tech guys from NHRA headquarters also emailed me back and clarified that the relaxed rules on newer cars still only applies to hard tops. Not t tops or convertibles.

So there’s the definitive answer. Can’t run your bone stock 6th gen vert. At least not legally per NHRA tech rules lol.
I may still come up and see what they let me get away with. I do have the email from their own joe Lombardi saying it’s good to mid 11’s lol.
Realistically I’m probably only mid to low 12’s. Car 60 ft’s like a turd with the 22’s on it. Not much point in picking up dedicated drag wheel/tires though. I really don’t want to cage the car. I have other toys for that.

[Evil-Bee-NH]

Originally Posted by Bottledbird68

Track manager had emailed me back and said that 11.49 was ok. However I’m not sure if he saw where I said convertible.
NHRA director of tech himself emailed me back and said nope, needs a bar for 13.49 and faster.
One of the other tech guys from NHRA headquarters also emailed me back and clarified that the relaxed rules on newer cars still only applies to hard tops. Not t tops or convertibles.

So there’s the definitive answer. Can’t run your bone stock 6th gen vert. At least not legally per NHRA tech rules lol.
I may still come up and see what they let me get away with. I do have the email from their own joe Lombardi saying it’s good to mid 11’s lol.
Realistically I’m probably only mid to low 12’s. Car 60 ft’s like a turd with the 22’s on it. Not much point in picking up dedicated drag wheel/tires though. I really don’t want to cage the car. I have other toys for that.

That's what I'm saying driven2exceSS has a vert and didn't need the rollbar til he got eerily close to 11s. The track is the best given option for clarification and the don't go 11s is the best rule of thumb either way given the newer 6th gens go mid 12s stock.

The NHRA rule relax was very unclear in many ways i mean a stock I4 Convertible with an experienced driver could hit 13.49s ET throwing a stock I4 out for that because of an antiquated rulebook would be dumb. I do understand the safety implied with convertibles not having that hard top but crashing a Convertible the same way at 13.50 or 12.00 will have the same results 99.99% of the time.

Either way i hope you make it i made quite a few friends racing at NED last year and the more the better.

[Bottledbird68]

Yeah I ran 13.4 two seasons ago with a cold air intake, cat back, and a heavy 22” wheel/tire combo that wheel hopped like crazy so I was pulling like a 2.4 60 ft lol. Even at that point they told me don’t come back without a roll bar so I haven’t bothered.
Now I have headers, cat delete, lingenfelter rear with 4.10’s, one piece driveshaft, all aftermarket bushings in the rear so no more wheel hop, and just buttoned up a tsp stage 3 cam install and a tune so I’d really love to see what it will do. I just don’t want to drive the over hour and a half to be told not to run it most of the time. But for a meet that may be the bonus that gets me there lol.
Just need to see what happens with the wifes work schedule.

[Slowhawk]

I see your answer. Funny though,none of my customers have had problems running 11's with convertible's. Most are Vette's but a few 5th gens. They have been told to slow down when they go 10's though.

[rich2342]

Originally Posted by Bottledbird68

Yeah I ran 13.4 two seasons ago with a cold air intake, cat back, and a heavy 22” wheel/tire combo that wheel hopped like crazy so I was pulling like a 2.4 60 ft lol. Even at that point they told me don’t come back without a roll bar so I haven’t bothered.
Now I have headers, cat delete, lingenfelter rear with 4.10’s, one piece driveshaft, all aftermarket bushings in the rear so no more wheel hop, and just buttoned up a tsp stage 3 cam install and a tune so I’d really love to see what it will do. I just don’t want to drive the over hour and a half to be told not to run it most of the time. But for a meet that may be the bonus that gets me there lol.
Just need to see what happens with the wifes work schedule.

A little OT here, but how did you pass inspection with Headers and HFC's?

[Bottledbird68]

Originally Posted by rich2342

A little OT here, but how did you pass inspection with Headers and HFC's?

Tune makes it pass the plug in test and as for the rest I have friendly resources 😉

[Bottledbird68]

Originally Posted by Slowhawk

I see your answer. Funny though,none of my customers have had problems running 11's with convertible's. Most are Vette's but a few 5th gens. They have been told to slow down when they go 10's though.

Just the one time I went they basically told me don’t come back without a roll bar. Don’t know if I caught a stickler that time or what but it’s made me gun shy of going back with the car. I think we’re going to give it a shot on the 14th though and see what happens. If I can get away with a mid to low 12 time slip I’ll be happy. I know the car has it in it if I can get it out of the hole ok.

[rich2342]

Originally Posted by Bottledbird68

Tune makes it pass the plug in test and as for the rest I have friendly resources 😉

Pm if you wouldn't mind sharing. This state is aweful. I'm afraid to modify anything with the new inspection laws.

[Evil-Bee-NH]

Cool look forward to seeing you there I'll be shooting for mid to low 12s myself.

[Evil-Bee-NH]

Just a bump meet and race is a week away. So far looks like a few people are going I'm guessing still a lot of people in hibernation.

[Bottledbird68]

Didn’t make it sorry. Wife decided to surprise me and we took off for the spring rod run in pigeon forge Tennessee this weekend instead

[Evil-Bee-NH]

Originally Posted by Bottledbird68

Didn’t make it sorry. Wife decided to surprise me and we took off for the spring rod run in pigeon forge Tennessee this weekend instead

Not an issue i don't think anyone went. After they canceled saturday when it ended up being a beutiful day we decided on the southern new hampshire cars and coffee in salem.

[Zl-1der]

I was there and had a blast! My best time was 12.2 , I need to work on my launch. Either I bogged or I spun 1st and 2nd. I'll probably go to a fri nite t-n-t in another month or so.